Injector for carbon remover fluid



1 5 E. BARTHOLOMEW INJECTOR FOR CARBON REMOVER FLUID" Filed March 5,1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O O O 0 O 0 0 O 0 w 8 6 4 w 00 A u D C T 0, m R WO Q T. 3N2

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I E. BARTHOLOMEW 2,709,995

INJECTOR ox CARBON REMOVERFLUID 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 7, 1955 FiledMarch 5, 1954 EARL BARTHOLOMEW mmvron.

FIGURE 2 Unite States Pater INJECTOR FOR CARBON REMOVER FLUID EarlBartholomew, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Ethyl Corporation, New York,N. Y., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application March 5, 1954, Serial No.414,413

2 Claims. (Cl. 123-198) This invention relates to a method of injectingcarbon remover fluid into an internal combustion engine and theapparatus to accomplish this result for the purpose of removingobjectionable deposits in the combustion chamber.

In an earlier period it was common practice to employ the vacuum in theintake manifold of an internal combustion engine to transfer carbonremover fluids from the reservoir of an injector to the intake manifold.Subsequent development of automotive engines for improved performance athigh speed has included large increases in the cross-sectional area ofthe fuel induction system. As a consequence, the pressure differentialbetween that in the intake manifold and atmospheric pressure, commonlytermed manifold vacuum, is quite low at full throttle, even at highengine speed. Thus,'there is insufficient difference in pressure toaspirate such liquids into the manifold at full throttle. However, fullthrottle operation is desirable during injection to provide the velocityand control required for good distribution of the carbon removing liquidto the various cylinders via the intake manifold.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a processof injecting a predetermined amount of a carbon removing fluid into aninternal combustion engine under full throttle operating conditions. Itis likewise an object of this invention to provide apparatus foraccomplishing this process. A particular object of the present inventionis to provide a process and apparatus for injecting a predeterminedamount of a carbon removing fluid into an internal combustion engineinvolving concurrent fluid actuation and positive control of fluidexpulsion. Other important objects of this invention will becomeapparent from the discussion hereinafter.

The above and other objects are accomplished by practicing my inventionwhich resides in features of construction within the spirit and scope ofmy apparatus and in providing for the cooperation of such features inaccordance with my processes of operation.

My invention can be best understood by referring to the drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is a plot of manifold vacuum in inches of mercury pressure andair consumption in pounds per hour in relation to extreme throttlesettings (throughout a range of engine speeds) frequently encountered inpassenger car service. The data for the plot, obtained with modern highcompression ratio automobiles, are typical of the conditions existing inthe fuel induction systems at both closed and wide open throttleconditions with vehicle speeds of approximately 30.6 to 81.6 miles perhour.

Figure 2 is a schematic drawing partially in crosssection, illustratinga device for injection of carbon remover fiuid into an operating engine.

Referring now to Figure 1, it is apparent that the greatest pressuredifferential (i. e. manifold vacuum) obtainable in modern automotiveengines occurs with closed throttle, represented by curve A. However,under these conditions the rate of air consumption is low as ice shownby curve B. At full throttle the converse is true, curves C and Dindicating respectively that the manifold vacuum is low and the rate ofair consumption is relatively high. To effectively inject a carbonremoving fluid into such engines it is highly desirable to utilize therelatively high rate of air consumption existing when the throttle isopen so that the fluid attains sufficient velocity to be uniformlydistributed in the cylinders and on the associated engine parts. To dothis, however, it is necessary to impose a supplemental force upon thefluid since the manifold vacuum alone is insufficient at open throttleto result in engine induction solely by aspiration.

A device capable of injecting a pre-determined amount of carbon removingfluid under full throttle conditions is represented in Figure 2.Referring to this figure, fluid container 1, equipped with a piston 2,is surrounded on the upper part of its length by concentric cylinder 3which is a reservoir for carbon remover fluid. The reservoir is providedwith a filler plug 4. The lower portion of container 1 has a volumeequal to that of the fluid required for one injection, whereas cylinder3 has a volume equal to that of the fluid for several injections. Thevolumes of the container 1 and cylinder 3 are connected by orifice 9.Although not shown, it is to be understood that the reservoir for thefluid can be separated from the fluid container 1 if desired. In such acase the volumes of the separated containers can be connected by meansof any suitable type of conduit leading from the reservoir to theorifice 9.

Piston rod 5 is rigidly attached to piston 2 and is normally retained inthe position shown by means of a disengageable retention means whichcomprises a latch member 7 and latch receiving means 6. In this positionthe piston actuating means 8 is ineffectual.

The valve head assembly on the upper surface of the injector consists oftwo discreet portions comprising suction valve and dispensing valveassemblies. As shown,

'the dispensing valve assembly is positioned on top of the suction valveassembly. It is to be noted, however, that these assemblies can belaterally placed on the upper surface of the injector.

The dispensing valve assembly, which includes a housing 9, a check valve10, and a disc type valve 11, is connected to container 1 by means ofconduit 12 and to the intake manifold (not shown) by conduit 13. Thesuction valve assembly comprising a housing 14 and a disc type valve 15is connected to the intake manifold by conduit 16 and to the uppervolume of cylinder 1 above piston 2 by means of orifice 1'7. The disctype valves 11 and 15 are normally held in the closed position as shownby springs 18 and 19 respectively.

Disc type valves 11 and 15 are rigidly attached to arms 20 and 21respectively, which in turn are operatively connected by means of slidemember 22. The slide member 22, which is pivotally connected to arm 20,engages arm 21 by means of an opening 23 in the member and a stop 24 onthe end of arm 21.

The manual actuation system as shown consists of a pull wire 25 attachedto one end to slide member 22 and the other end to a button 26 placed onthe instrument panel (not shown) of the vehicle.

The operation of the device is as follows. A pull on button 26 causesvalves 11 and 15 to open and concurrently disengages latch member '7from latch receiving means 6, allowing the piston actuating means 8 toforce piston 2 downwardly. The force imposed upon the liquid incontainer 1 causes the liquid to flow sequentially through conduit 12,into housing 9, past open valve 11 and through conduit 13 to the intakemanifold. When button 26 is released valve 11 is closed by spring 18 butvalve 15 remains open because latch member 7 is in contact with thecylindrical surface of piston rod 5. The pressure differential betweenthe manifold vacuum communicated to the upper side of piston 2 throughconduit 16 and orifice 17, and atmospheric pressure imposed upon thelower surface of piston 2 through open check valve it housing 9 andconduit 12 causes piston 2 to move upwardly. When piston rod reaches thetop of the stroke, latch member 7 engages latch receiving means 5 permting valve 15 to close. During and subsequent to the repositioning ofpiston 2, another charge of liquid flows from cylinder 3 to container 1.

When making an injection of carbon removing fluid it is preferable to(1) allow the engine to warm up, (2) place the throttle in wideopenposition, (3) cut oif the ignition and currently manually actuatethe injector, (4) allow the engine to stand for at least 15 minutes, and(5) start the engine again. In this manner the pro-determined charge ofthe fluid is evenly and positively forced and carried through the intakemanifold whence it impinges uniformly upon the hot engine deposits.

When the procedure of injection as described above is used, the cycle ofoperation of the device is interrupted with piston 2 at the bottom ofits stroke. This interruption in the cycle provides a period of timeduring which the fluid acts upon the deposits resulting in a moreefficient treatment. After the engine is started again and the manifoldvacuum pressure exceeds the force asserted upon piston 2 by actuatingmeans 8, the piston is automatically repositioned and the lower portionof fluid container 1 is charged with carbon remover fluid.

I have found that the efficiency of operation of the apparatus of thisinvention is enhanced by using as actuating means 8 a spring having alow spring rate, that is, a spring in which the ratio of units of forceper unit of deflection is low. By so doing, the force imposed upon theliquid as it is injected is substantially constant and uniformly appliedthroughout the entire injection stroke of the piston.

Although not shown in Figure 2, it is preferable to equip piston 2 witha lip-type seal so that by-pass of liquid between the piston and thecylinder wall is obviated. Such a seal should possess a low coeflicientof friction with the inner surface of the cylinder and a high resistanceto deterioration in the presence of organic solvents of the type used incarbon remover iiuids. I have found that liptype seals made frompolychlorotrifluoroethylene of polytetrafluoroethylene are eminentlysuited for this purpose.

As shown in Figure 2, it has also found efiicacious to provide breathertube 27 positioned oppositely to orifice 3*. By extending this tube to alocus just below filier plug 4, the tendency for the formation of vaporlock resulting from the vapor pressure of carbon removing liquids atunderhood temperatures is avoided.

The use of means substantially independent of intake manifold pressureto expel carbon remover fluid into the engine at wide-open throttleresults in the liquid being swept into the cylinders by an air stream ofhigh velocity. This is in contrast to previous injection devices whichrelied on manifold vacuum for aspiration of the fluid into the engine atclosed throttle, under which condition an insignificantly small amountof air flows through the manifold to the cylinders.

The high velocity of the air and liquid in the manifold which isassociated with this invention has at least three advantages. First,there is a more nearly equal distribution of the liquid to thecylinders. Second, a smaller quantity of liquid is required for aninjection since no cylinder tends to receive less than its proportionateamount of the charge. Third, the high velocity of the liquid enteringthe cylinders causes the liquid to be splashed onto all surfaces of thecombustion chamber. Thus, unlike previous injection devices which reliedupon manifold vacuum for aspiration of the fluid into the engine,devices adapting the principles of operation of this invention assureeflicient contact between carbon remover and deposits accumulated onengine ports, valves, piston crown surfaces, cylinder walls, pistonrings, and the like. Conse quently, the efficiency of deposit removalresulting from this invention is dependent almost entirely upon theeffectiveness of the carbon remover fluid employed.

Another advantage of this invention is simplicity of operation. Actuallythe operator is required only to place the throttle in wide openposition and actuate the injector, although it is preferable toconcurrently cut off the ignition. However, if the ignition is left oninadvertently, the sudden influx into the cylinders of typical carbonremover liquid in the form of a dispersion or spray kills the engine,that is, temporarily prevents its continued operation. This in turnprevents the fluid from being expelled from the engine through theexhaust system without an opportunity to cleanse the engine.

in the use of previous injection devices, a multiplicity of carefullycoordinated operations was necessary which experience proved was beyondthe ability of the average motorist. It was necessary to open thethrottle and allow the engine to attain high speed in order to create ahigh vacuum in the manifold when the foot was lifted from the throttleand to provide sufiicient momentum of the engine for aspiration of theliquid. No means existed for indication of the proper engine speed.Simultaneously with the lifting of the foot from the throttle it wasnecessary to operate the valve of the injector and to turn off theignition switch. If the ignition was left on it was probably that engineoperation would continue, particularly in view of the high degree ofengine momentum necessarily required for injection using manifoldvacuum. The result was that the fluid injected primarily as a stream ofliquid not only had virtually no residence period in the engine to exertits intended action, but was burned to a greater or lesser degree withthe formation of large amounts of offensive vapors and smoke.

Other modifications of my invention are possible within the spirit andscope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. An apparatus for introducing a pre-determined amount of fluid into aninternal combustion engine comprising in combination a container adaptedto receive a pre-determined amount of fluid, a discharge outletpositioned on said container and adapted to be placed in communicationwith an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a fluiddriving member positioned within said container and adapted for movementtherein, delivery means independent of the intake manifold pressure fordriving said member so as to expel fluid from said container throughsaid outlet, through a dispensing valve assembly and into said engine,repositioning means dependent upon the intake manifold pressure forrepositioning said member, said repositioning means containing a suctionvalve assembly, and means for simultaneously opening but sequentiallyclosing said dispensing valve assembly and said suction valve assemblyin the order named.

2. An apparatus for introducing a pre-determined amount of fluid into aninternal combustion engine comprising in combination a fiuid containeradapted to receive a pre-determined amount of fluid; a reservoir havinga greater volume than said container, said reservoir and said containerbeing connected by fluid transferring means; a piston positioned withinsaid container; a spring mounted on said piston; a piston rod attachedto said piston, said rod containing a latch receiving means; a fluiddischarge outlet positioned on said container; a dispensing valveassembly connected by a fluid conduit to said discharge outlet, saiddispensing valve assembly comprising a housing, a check valve and afluid dispensing valve; 21 fluid conduit leading from said fluiddischarge valve to the intake manifold of said engine; a suction valveassembly comprising a housing and a suction valve; a manual actuationmeans adapted to simultaneously open said dispensing valve and saidsuction valve and to cause said piston to drive fluid from saidcontainer through said discharge outlet, said fluid conduits and saiddispensing valve assembly to the intake valve of said engine, saidactuation means adapted to thereafter sequentially close said dispensingvalve and said suction valve in the order 5 named; said actuation meanscontaining a latch adapted to engage said latch receiving means whensaid piston is in retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFitzgerald Jan. 21, Le Maire et al. Oct. 15, Iensen June 24, Gillen July30, Blair Mar. 4,

Eckel et al. Mar. 31,

